Inspiring! These are the top 10 green companies in the world

Posted
on 04/05/2017

Every year, Newsweek announces the Global 500, or the five hundred greenest companies in the world. In 2016, the top ten included Nike, Unilever and Siemens. What makes these companies so sustainable? Evidently, they made some considerable investments in renewable energy. But even without purchasing their own green energy sources, companies can adopt a sustainable energy strategy. Read all about it here!

10. Schneider Electric

French multinational Schneider Electric is a global authority in energy management. Schneider Electric not only produces renewable energy solutions and energy management systems, but also uses them to become more sustainable themselves – because why wouldn’t they, right?

Did you know that ... fifthplay also believes in practice-what-you-preach? We produce nearly 30 percent of our energy ourselves and combine our own energy management system with a Tesla Powerwall.

9. Siemens

Siemens is a German company specializing in electronics and electrical engineering, and renowned worldwide for its sustainable solutions for the healthcare industry, the energy industry and industrial companies overall. Siemens is determined to become the first carbon-neutral industrial multinational by 2030.

8. Sky

In 2006 already, Sky became the first carbon-neutral media company in the world. Sky not only uses green technology, but also sets out to create more sustainability awareness among its many subscribers.

7. Unilever

Multinational Unilever produces foods, personal care products and cleaning supplies for many famous brands all over the world. By 2020, Unilever wants to cut its footprint in half.

6. Nike

Nike’s latest business strategy strongly focuses on sustainable innovation and closed loop products. The sportswear manufacturer has managed to reduce its carbon emissions by 18 percent since 2011, and hopes to produce 25 percent less carbon emissions by 2020.

5. Essilor International

Lens manufacturer Essilor International is applauded for its small footprint, which the company obtained by using environmentally friendly raw materials and sustainable processes. Essilor International managed to use 22 percent less electricity per lens, and as of 2017 reduced its water consumption by 40 percent. The company is also investing heavily in a recycling programme.

4. Swisscom

Swiss telecom provider Swisscom increased its energy efficiency by 25 percent between 2010 and 2015. By 2020, the company hopes to turn that number into 35 percent. Swisscom received additional points from Newsweek for its recycling programme for mobile phones.

3. BT Group

Scoring slightly better than Swisscom is BT Group, a UK telecom provider. The company managed to reduce its carbon emissions by as much as 81 percent since 1997. BT Group also consumes 10 percent less water. Additionally, less than 34 percent of the company’s raw materials ends up in landfills. By 2020, BT Group wants to produce zero percent waste.

2. Reckitt Benckiser Group

Reckitt Benckiser produces fast-moving consumer goods sold all over the world. The UK company has been committed to sustainable practices since 2004 and so far has managed to consume 12 percent less water and 13 percent less energy. By 2020, Reckitt Benckiser wants to consume 35 percent less energy and 35 percent less water, and produce another 10 percent less waste.

1. Shire

Shire tops Newsweek's Global 500, and with good reason. The Irish biopharmaceutical company uses 20 percent less paper and produces 22 percent less waste since 2010. And, to put the icing on the cake, all of Shire’s North American sites have been completely carbon-neutral since 2014.

Smart companies are committed to smart energy management

In Belgium, too, companies increasingly focus on maintaining a sustainable energy policy. While renewable energy sources are partly mandatory for new business buildings, older buildings are often equipped with their own green energy sources as well. To achieve optimal energy management, more and more companies are also adopting an energy management system. Kanaal Z even devoted a documentary series to several Belgian companies, which, thanks to fifthplay’s energy management system, managed to adopt a sustainable energy policy even when they didn’t have their own energy park.

To measure is to know. Take control of your company's energy usage today!